BlogHer is an organization that brings together women content creators across social media, video and photography platforms and blogging. Presented by SheKnows Media, BlogHer events help women network, meet brands, hone skills and, ultimately, celebrate their work in the community. And #BlogHerFood15, which took place in Chicago on Nov. 6-7, emphasizes those in the food blogging community.

I go to a lot of conferences, but I’ve never experienced such an open environment, where everyone wants to know who you are, where you’re from and what your blog or publication is. All you had to do was sit down at a table before a session and everyone immediately exchanged business cards to check out your content when they got home. Most of these women only know each other through their online presences, so getting together in person for two days of informative sessions, delicious foods from its many sponsors such as Canadian Lentils and outings to Eataly and nightclub The Underground.

The 10th annual Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show takes place Jan. 24-26, 2016, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the South Hall. It is the premier event for brand owners, licensors, licensees and retailers interested in sports and tailgate merchandise. Exhibitors hold the licenses for professional, collegiate and all other sports teams and represent every possible category – apparel, accessories, housewares, pet products, gifts, toys, children’s gear and much more.

If you want to meet the more than 22,000 influencers and professionals in the convenience and fueling retail industry, travel no further than the NACS show coming this Oct. 11-14 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The four-day show will be fueled with learning sessions, buying and selling opportunities, networking and, of course, lots of fun.

At NACS, retailers can discover ideas and strategies to increase sales and build brands while suppliers can exhibit to increase exposure, introduce products and obtain leads. Last year, 24,000 people attended and 1,167 companies exhibited, all from more than 60 countries in 400,000 square feet of space.

The crisp air has blown in and the smell of pumpkin is everywhere – from your morning latte to the incense in the office – and that can only mean fall has arrived. The new season begins, bringing with it the highly anticipated annual New York City Wine & Food Festival, one of the largest wine and food festivals in the United States.

“We are excited to unveil our 2015 event lineup, which includes the return of festival fan favorite events and a variety of new experiences for our passionate attendees,” says Lee Brian Schrager, festival founder and vice president of corporate communications and national events for Southern Wine & Spirits of America Inc. “Festivalgoers will have the opportunity to see their favorite chefs and culinary personalities, including both veteran and new faces from the Food Network & Cooking Channel, plus interact with leading winemakers and spirits producers from the Southern Wine & Spirits of New York portfolio.”

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores’(NACDS) Total Store Expo took place Aug. 22-25 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. The expo is the premier event for retailers and suppliers in the chain drug store industry to get together to form strategic and tactical collaborations. Attendees gained new insights into their business and how to more efficiently run their operations.

“NACDS is you,” said NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson during his address at the expo. “That engagement drives the success of everything NACDS does: advocacy, public policy, communications, media relations, pharmacy operations, patient advocacy, meetings and conferences, the NACDS Foundation and much more. Constant and transparent dialogue with the membership helps NACDS pick up the issues and topics that demand a response. This NACDS Total Store Expo is the place to be to solve today’s business, policy and political equations – the ones we know and the ones we don’t know yet.”